Blackcurrants high in vitamin C
Blackcurrants have become increasingly popular as the health benefits of eating them have been recognised.
Cultivated throughout Europe since at least the 1500s, blackcurrants are exceptionally high in vitamin C with four times the level found in oranges. They provide significant amounts of vitamin E, carotenes and potassium. Blackcurrant seed oil is a rich source of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), a very rare essential fatty acid (ref. www.edible.co. nz). Traditional healers used them for conditions such as arthritis, liver disease, kidney stones, gout, inflammation of the mouth, stomach and bowel disorders, lung ailments, fatigue and as a diuretic.
Blackcurrants are widely grown by home gardeners and as a commercial crop in New Zealand; there are currently 1700 hectares under production with 37 growers.
Blackcurrants can be easily grown organically as they do not really have any pests or diseases that would need to be sprayed for to obtain a good harvest. They do not take up lots of room so can be grown successfully in a pot or courtyard garden as well as in larger gardens where more plants can be grown if desired. So as an addition to your home edible patch, how about growing some blackcurrants?